


Trying to write

by pairatime



Category: Shelter (2007)
Genre: Ice Skating, M/M, Muses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 11:29:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19905001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pairatime/pseuds/pairatime
Summary: Shaun just can’t seem to write until he’s with his muse





	Trying to write

**Author's Note:**

> For Smallfandomfest round 25  
>  **Prompt:** Shelter Zach/Shaun muse

Pushing his laptop away with a frustrated growl Shaun crossed his arms over the table and bounced his head a few times before looking up, letting his gaze drift to the dining room window. Even eight floors up the only sights outside the window were just more walls, outside of a building but still walls and a bit of sky in one corner if he really tried.

But neither glass and steel building nor smoggy skies were going to help him. Closing the computer Shaun got up and studied the dishes in the sink for a moment before shrugging. Reaching for wish soap Shaun also started the water before squeezing a soap bottle, covering the dishes with a bit more of the liquid than was probably needed.

Putting the bottle back in its place Shaun laid out the drying towel before diving into the sudsy water and slowly starting to work his way through the morning’s breakfast dishes. Once the plates, bowls and cups were gone Shaun ran his hand underneath the water looking for any missed spoon when he felt it.

It didn’t feel like a spoon or fork but long and thin Shaun couldn’t think of anything else it might be until he pulled it from the water and saw the dark wooden brush, its dark tip standed a bit red.

Grinning Shaun wiped it down before making sure to rinse it extra clean then setting it with the other drying dishes. Draining the sink he made sure to clean his own hands again before returning to the table and reopening his laptop, letting out a sigh as he looked at the last few lines he’d written, frowning at the page 14 in the corner.

Going back and tweaking a few things, fixing some grammar here, making a different word choice there Shaun tried to add a new sentence a few times only to delete it each time until finally with another frustrated growl he pushed the laptop across the table and stood. This time making his way down the hall toward the bedrooms, pausing at Cody’s door.

Smiling at the myriad of school drawing, writing and other art that covered the door Shaun slowly pushed the door open and stepped into the room, shaking his head at the mess of toys and clothing on the floor, just as he expected. Slowly cleaning it up Shaun took the time to straighten up the book case and tuck in the sheets of Cody’s bed before finally taking the dirty laundry and exiting the room.

After dropping by the bathroom to drop off the dirty clothing in the hamper-and rinse out the sink and wipe down the countertop and clean the mirror-Shaun finally returned to the table and sat down before his laptop again. 

With another sigh he once more cleaned up his grammar and tweaked a word here and there….

***

Shaking his head Gabe watched as Shaun smiled up at Zach for a moment before sticking his head back into his laptop.

“Dude, he knows he’s at an ice rink and not his office right?” Gabe asked Zach as he skated over toward his best friend.

“I’d say yes but I’m honestly not sure,” Zach answered with a grin as he turned to face toward Shaun, who had glanced up from his laptop for a moment, his hands never stopping their furies typing. “He’s been working all day while Cody and I were at school but it he still can’t seem to put that thing down.”

“Maybe he’s almost done with his book? I mean if it’s been all day,” Gabe suggested with a shrug as he scanned the crowd skating pass them.

“He started this morning and he’d been glued to it since before I got him. He barely even looked up when Cody got picked by for his sleepover. And suggesting he get on the ice,” Zach added with a shake of his head.

“Well fuck. Some double date this turned out to be,” Gabe complained as he pushed off, keeping his pace casual.

“Yeah I’m not sure which would be worse, getting stood up or ignored?” Zach asked as he matched Gabe’s speed. 

“Fuck I’d rather be stood up because now I can show off to that hot pair of chicks over there,” Gabe said, pointing to a pair of women their age who were staking together.

“I wouldn’t be doing that even if Shaun hadn’t shown,” Zach reminded Gabe.

“You’re would be hot bros duh,” Gabe answered with a laugh before focusing his gaze to the two women, “they think they’re hot stuff with their crossovers and the bunny hops, wait until they get a load of me, later dude,” he said as he increased his speed and started doing a few moves around and in front of the women in question.

Thirty minutes, and two phone numbers later Gabe stepped off the ice and grinned as he spotted Shaun watching Zach skate with small group of random people that had formed. He also noticed that Shaun was still typing away as a fast as ever.

“Dude you know most people go on dates to spend time with their date’s,” Gabe pointed out as he sat next to his brother.

Nodding in response Shaun finally stopped his typing as he gave Gabe a sidewise glance, never really letting his focus leave Zach. “I know. I know I should be out there but I’ve been working on this chapter for weeks know and today, this afternoon really it finally came together and I don’t want to lose it,” Shaun explained.

“This afternoon huh,” Gabe repeated as he followed Shaun’s gaze to Zach. “I wonder what happened to give you this break through,” he wondered aloud.

“I don’t know. It was a normal enough afternoon,” Shaun answered, “Zach picked up Cody from school on the way home from class and they both had paint on their faces when they got home. I think Cody’s class was using hand paint today,” he added with a smile.

“Cool,” Gabe said as he shook his head, “what’s it about anyways?”

“My book? It’s about my detective hunting down a stolen painting while having to deal with forgeries and black market money laundering,” Shaun explained as he looked down at his screen, smiling at the page 154 in the corner of the screen, “it’s really coming along finally.”

“Did adding the art student really help?” Gabe asked with a grin.

“How’d you know I added an art student?” Shaun asked in surprise as he looked up.

Gabe grinned wider.


End file.
